How I spent my Saturday 😺

[TheOldNoob]

So, I've been looking for parts to do a manual transmission conversion in my 2005 XLT. I found one South of Denver at a small dealership in Englewood for $4,000.

So, after getting a personal loan from the bank, I booked a flight from Salt Lake City to Denver. I left yesterday morning and arrived shortly after noon. Took a $50 uber ride from the airport to the dealership. I originally tried to take public transportation, but the BRT trains were very confusing, and when I found the busses, there were 4 or 5 of them sitting with no drivers.

So, I got to the dealership and picked up my Explorer.

Here it is after going to Walmart.

Never thought I'd see paper bags at Walmart

First fill up. Hey, Denver, send us some of those gas prices please

So, 500 some odd miles and about an 8 hour drive home, (and a few hours sleep) here's my '02 next to my '05.

So, I was in a dilemma, the '02 runs and has few issues. The '05 needs a transmission (the reason for buying the '02), and is my project vehicle, as well as my daily driver.

I'm generally not a fan of dismantling a perfectly good, running vehicle. However, there are a few things on the '02 I don't like, and maybe it's the advancetrak, suspension style (it does need an alignment), axle styles (independent vs solid rear axle), or what ever, but the '05 seems to drive better than the '02.

So, while not 100% decided, I'm leaning towards swapping the engine and transmission from the '02 into the '05.

But, I have to find a place to do the work first.

 

[Josh P]

A manual transmission swap would be sweet.

 

[dvdswan]

Well, me personally, I have a hard time taking a good vehicle and stripping it down for parts and... never mind, I've done completely ripped down a great vehicle and made it how I wanted.

My only thought is compatibility. Will the clutch assembly bolt into the new gen Explorer?

 

[TheOldNoob]

Going off what others have said who have done this, everything should mount up, both vehicles being gen 3 and all that.

However, there are things that likely will not interchange between the two, but so far I'm not going to use the ones I have seen so far that won't.

While the biggest problem with this swap is the SOHC vs OHV engines. While this shouldn't be a problem, I'm going to use the '02 engine anyway. Wasn't planning to, but the engine runs and sounds good.

Just my thoughts, I could definitely be wrong on some of them.

 

[410Fortune]

They are not both gen iii

The two door sport is still a gen ii
The 02-04 sport and sport trac is continuation of th gen ii platform. Solid rear axle, torsion bar sla front suspension and the gen ii dash

Your 05 is a completely different generation

the clutch pedal assembly and its master cylinder will not fit into your 05

The pcm is completely different. This is not an unbolt from one truck and bolt into the other truck type 5 speed swap. It is waaaaay more involved then that

Yes it can be done
But this is not the way
They only made a gen iii 5 speed for one year 2002
Others who have gone before you have used various parts from explorers and f150 to make this happen. Either way I see a custom tuned pcm in your future

Or just buildup the sport into what you want it to be

 

[Josh P]

302 with a manual transmission.

 

[410Fortune]

302 in 05 may not be emissions legal everywhere lol last year if 302 was 01

 

[Josh P]

302 in 05 may not be emissions legal everywhere lol last year if 302 was 01

The emissions testing and restrictions are going away. Utah only has 3 counties that do emissions testing, if a bar ref puts a sticker on it, then it's golden. Some have done this swap into newer cars in Utah and had no issues and others hit roadblocks.

 

[GRNMACHINE]

It’s a Beautiful Sport! I don’t see many of them anymore, 2 doors and manual were not as popular. You have yourself a nice new ride, sorry not what you intended it for though.